Disney Cruise Line Modifies Splash Pad After Toddler Suffers Serious Injury
Key Aspects:
A toddler broke his femur while playing in the Nemo’s Reef Splash Pad onboard Disney Dream.
The family recently returned to the Disney ship to find that the play area had been modified to make it safer.
It’s unclear if the changes were or will be carried over to Disney Fantasy, which has an identical splash pad.
Disney Cruise Line is learning from an unfortunate accident to improve the safety onboard for its youngest guests.
In September of 2025, Courtney Livingston (@courtneylivin) had to end her family’s sailing onboard Disney Dream early because her young son was injured while playing in the Nemo’s Reef Splash Pad on Deck 11.
The “Finding Nemo”-themed play area, which is found on both Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, is meant for toddlers and small children under the age of four.
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During what seemed like a normal play session, the toddler fell from a coral fixture, breaking his femur. X-rays confirmed the injury, which required immediate medical attention.
The family was medically evacuated in Nassau, Bahamas, so that the young child could receive prompt treatment. DCL graciously gifted the family a free sailing so that they could have a vacation do-over once the boy healed.
Disney has also now modified the splash pad to try to make sure no other family has to cut their cruise vacation short for this reason.
Changes Made For the Better
The Instagram-using mom posted a reel on March 30, 2026, showing that the family had made it back onboard the 129,690-gross ton Disney Dream and had been having a much better experience the second time around.
It’s not clear which specific voyage the family was onboard for, but the 4,000-guest ship is currently operating 3- to 5- night sailings to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The family also returned to the scene of the accident, where Livingston was happy to discover that the cruise line had modified the splash pad for safety.
“After my son fell and broke his leg on the Finding Nemo Splash Pad on the Disney Dream, they made it safer! Yay for change!” she captioned an Instagram reel, which has been viewed more than 7,000 times in just three days.
Specifically, the mother noticed that the coral fixture her son fell from had been removed and new, softer flooring had been installed.
Previously, there were four large stool-like coral pieces under the picture of Squirt (the baby turtle from “Finding Nemo”), near the far end of the play area.
At this time, nothing has replaced the removed features, and Cruise Hive has not yet learned if anything will be added in their place later. It’s also unclear when and if similar tweaks may be made for the splash pad on Disney Fantasy.
Disney may also be considering related updates to the splash pads on its other ships, including Dory’s Reef on Disney Wonder, Nephew’s Splash Zone on Disney Magic, and the Toy Story Splash Zone on the Wish-class ships.
Safety Rules in Place
Even with the new changes, parent supervision is still an extremely important part of child safety onboard Disney’s ships.
Disney’s policy clearly states that parents are required to supervise their children while using the splash pad at all times. In fact, adult supervision is required for all guests under the age of 16 while enjoying the pools or hot tubs.
As the pool deck can get rather crowded, parents are also encouraged to pay close attention to their kids and to prevent rougher play. Running, jumping, and diving is also prohibited.
Not the Only Safety-Forward Change
In addition to modifying the splash pad, Disney Dream has also added new railings and plexiglass to portholes after a 5-year-old girl fell through an open porthole in June of 2025.
At the time, Cruise Hive reported that the child was posing for a picture in the open window, which her mother mistakenly thought was sealed with clear glass.
Thankfully, the child, and her father who jumped in to rescue her, were both okay.
This is just another example of how Disney learns from past events to make the cruising experience safer for everyone.
Disney Cruise Line Modifies Splash Pad After Toddler Suffers Serious Injury